Braves trade veteran lefty Albers to Mariners

ST.

ST. LOUIS – The Braves have agreed to trade veteran left-hander Andrew Albers to the Mariners for cash considerations, a person familiar with the situation said.

Albers was 12-3 with a 2.61 ERA in 26 games (17 starts) for the Braves’ Triple-A Gwinnett affiliate after signing a minor league deal last winter. The 31-year-old drew some trade interest after a terrific stretch of pitching lately in which he’d posted a 6-0 record and 0.98 ERA in his past eight starts including eight innings of one-run ball in a Thursday win against Louisville.

He was expected to report to the Mariners’ Triple-A Tacoma team initially but could soon get a chance to join the big-league rotation.

The lefty works with a fastball that’s usually a tick or two below 90 mph, but Albers has been successful at Gwinnett with pinpoint control of a variety of pitches this season, striking out 115 while issuing just 19 walks in 120 2/3 innings.

Albers, a 10th-round draft pick by the Padres in 2008, has a 2-5 record and 4.41 ERA in 17 games (12 starts) over parts of three major league seasons, all in the American League with Minnesota and Toronto.

He last pitched in the majors with Minnesota in 2016 when he had no decisions and a 5.82 ERA in six games including two starts.